Sunday, May 2, 2010
A Summary: if possible
Back home now. What a trip! It's a difficult adjustment coming home. I'm thankful I took some time to catch up on some things-laundry among them but more than that to really appreciate my time in the DR.
I've been asked, and it's a common question for any professional, "why did you decide to go into physical therapy?" It's an easy answer really but it's an answer that lately I have felt more than a little uncomfortable answering-in fact I distinctly recall squirming in my seat the last time I was asked and wishing I could avoid the question entirely. I went into medicine because I want to help people. See, easy answer. Yet, I feel like its become a clichy for many people. I believe that some of my discomfort may have come from the fact that the word "help" is part of my answer and that since graduating I've been paid for the services I've provided. One of the most interesting reflections we had was on the difference between what it means to help and what it means to serve. We read an essay called "In the service of life" by Rachel Naomi Remen and what I appreciated was the difference she elaborates between helping and serving. "Helping is based on inequality; it is not a relationship between equals...it incurs debt...but serving, like healing, is mutual...(it) rests on the basic premise that the nature of life is sacred." It is this difference, a sublety between terms, that I believe prior to coming to the DR I subconsciously felt and which gave me a sense of unease and discomfort when I answered the question "why did you decide to become a physical therapist?" In the DR I served and received so much more that I felt that I was more a beneficiary than anything else. Many of us who were in the DR, our students for the first time, and many of us professionals many times repeated can recall patients and instances where there is nothing that we can do for a patient from a medical standpoint but from a human standpoint we can pray, we can hug, we can be present-the most important part because it recognizes a person as whole, not just a part to be fixed, it's healing for everyone involved; this is service-seeing the whole person. Coming down to the DR I feel like I needed a reminder of this distinction between helping and serving and what it means to assist in the healing process. This is part of what I've taken with me home from the DR. I hope that in the future I can answer truthfully and enigmatically, "I wanted to serve."
I just finished reading the book Mountains beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder (I'd underline the title if I could). One of the most fabulous things about going down to the DR was meeting so many wonderful new people and getting to know others better. This book was one that many of the other professionals had read that I didn't recognize but that they said was very good. So I picked it up from the library the other day and finished it in the next. It is the real story about Dr. Paul Farmer and his efforts to cure the world. One of things I think I liked about the book was that yes, it was inspiring but it also said that you can't go out and try to be Paul Farmer you have to find your own way. It has been a good platform for me to think and pray about what I want to do next. So this is in part an acknowledgement to all the professionals with whom I have travelled and worked: you have deeply affected me and I want to say THANK YOU-it has truly been a pleasure to get to know each of you. I really do love each of you. A hug from me to you.
During our last days in the DR we saw many patients. One of the days that stands out is the ICC clinic day. For myself and I imagine for Kristin as well it was a reunion. We got to see some of the children and women, the promatoras, with whom we had worked closely two years prior. It was absolutely wonderful! Some of the children had made such big strides and were now old enough and had progressed enough to need walkers (which we were lucky enough to be able to give them). It was a fabulous day.
The weekend we spent in Sosua, south of Porta Plata and north of Cabarete. QUE WOW! It was a great time. Paid out of pocket for it but even that was only a marginal expense for an all-inclusive resort. It was quite different from the last time that we were down there--for one, there was a huge beach that last time had been nothing but rocks! I'm not sure how that changed but Kristin and I were both confused at first when people had said hey go down to the beach on the south side of the resort and we were both like "what are they talking about?" Well, we found out pretty quickly and it was an amazing beach! The water was the perfect temperature and not too salty but enough that floating was just a joy. Perhaps my favorite memory/activity was waking up earlier with some of the other professionals and doing yoga on the beach. After an initial few giggles, and one enormous snort from me, we all really got into the exercise and fully appreciated the scene to which we were privy. It was magnificent. The meals there were "SO GOOD" and the butter was "SO GOOD." Much of our conversations or lack there of was because the food was "SO GOOD." We all enjoyed the company, the weather, got a little tan, Kristin did some shopping, and one of the mornings I went surfing. Yuppers, by myself, no one else wanted to go so I gua gua'd it to Playa Encuentro, detour via Cabarete (a little nervous at that point but that disappeared quickly) and then to the beach where I rented my board and hit the waves for two blissful hours. I got back in time for lunch and traded updates from the AM, some of the students and one of the professionals, Amanda, had gone on a waterfall hike. It was a grand afternoon. Had our toes painted before loading on the bus and away we went back to Santiago. The trip back to Santiago was a memorable one, we went through a few IPODs whose batteries went out until we landed with Suzi's and then by a few requests we jogged down memory lane of the 80s and early 90s... it was fabulous and fun singing along with songs that I thought I had forgotten-- some Boyz2Men etc. Oh GOOD TIMES!
This was a magnificent two and half weeks. Thank you to everyone who has followed this little blog. I hope it was interesting and a bit fun!
I've been asked, and it's a common question for any professional, "why did you decide to go into physical therapy?" It's an easy answer really but it's an answer that lately I have felt more than a little uncomfortable answering-in fact I distinctly recall squirming in my seat the last time I was asked and wishing I could avoid the question entirely. I went into medicine because I want to help people. See, easy answer. Yet, I feel like its become a clichy for many people. I believe that some of my discomfort may have come from the fact that the word "help" is part of my answer and that since graduating I've been paid for the services I've provided. One of the most interesting reflections we had was on the difference between what it means to help and what it means to serve. We read an essay called "In the service of life" by Rachel Naomi Remen and what I appreciated was the difference she elaborates between helping and serving. "Helping is based on inequality; it is not a relationship between equals...it incurs debt...but serving, like healing, is mutual...(it) rests on the basic premise that the nature of life is sacred." It is this difference, a sublety between terms, that I believe prior to coming to the DR I subconsciously felt and which gave me a sense of unease and discomfort when I answered the question "why did you decide to become a physical therapist?" In the DR I served and received so much more that I felt that I was more a beneficiary than anything else. Many of us who were in the DR, our students for the first time, and many of us professionals many times repeated can recall patients and instances where there is nothing that we can do for a patient from a medical standpoint but from a human standpoint we can pray, we can hug, we can be present-the most important part because it recognizes a person as whole, not just a part to be fixed, it's healing for everyone involved; this is service-seeing the whole person. Coming down to the DR I feel like I needed a reminder of this distinction between helping and serving and what it means to assist in the healing process. This is part of what I've taken with me home from the DR. I hope that in the future I can answer truthfully and enigmatically, "I wanted to serve."
I just finished reading the book Mountains beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder (I'd underline the title if I could). One of the most fabulous things about going down to the DR was meeting so many wonderful new people and getting to know others better. This book was one that many of the other professionals had read that I didn't recognize but that they said was very good. So I picked it up from the library the other day and finished it in the next. It is the real story about Dr. Paul Farmer and his efforts to cure the world. One of things I think I liked about the book was that yes, it was inspiring but it also said that you can't go out and try to be Paul Farmer you have to find your own way. It has been a good platform for me to think and pray about what I want to do next. So this is in part an acknowledgement to all the professionals with whom I have travelled and worked: you have deeply affected me and I want to say THANK YOU-it has truly been a pleasure to get to know each of you. I really do love each of you. A hug from me to you.
During our last days in the DR we saw many patients. One of the days that stands out is the ICC clinic day. For myself and I imagine for Kristin as well it was a reunion. We got to see some of the children and women, the promatoras, with whom we had worked closely two years prior. It was absolutely wonderful! Some of the children had made such big strides and were now old enough and had progressed enough to need walkers (which we were lucky enough to be able to give them). It was a fabulous day.
The weekend we spent in Sosua, south of Porta Plata and north of Cabarete. QUE WOW! It was a great time. Paid out of pocket for it but even that was only a marginal expense for an all-inclusive resort. It was quite different from the last time that we were down there--for one, there was a huge beach that last time had been nothing but rocks! I'm not sure how that changed but Kristin and I were both confused at first when people had said hey go down to the beach on the south side of the resort and we were both like "what are they talking about?" Well, we found out pretty quickly and it was an amazing beach! The water was the perfect temperature and not too salty but enough that floating was just a joy. Perhaps my favorite memory/activity was waking up earlier with some of the other professionals and doing yoga on the beach. After an initial few giggles, and one enormous snort from me, we all really got into the exercise and fully appreciated the scene to which we were privy. It was magnificent. The meals there were "SO GOOD" and the butter was "SO GOOD." Much of our conversations or lack there of was because the food was "SO GOOD." We all enjoyed the company, the weather, got a little tan, Kristin did some shopping, and one of the mornings I went surfing. Yuppers, by myself, no one else wanted to go so I gua gua'd it to Playa Encuentro, detour via Cabarete (a little nervous at that point but that disappeared quickly) and then to the beach where I rented my board and hit the waves for two blissful hours. I got back in time for lunch and traded updates from the AM, some of the students and one of the professionals, Amanda, had gone on a waterfall hike. It was a grand afternoon. Had our toes painted before loading on the bus and away we went back to Santiago. The trip back to Santiago was a memorable one, we went through a few IPODs whose batteries went out until we landed with Suzi's and then by a few requests we jogged down memory lane of the 80s and early 90s... it was fabulous and fun singing along with songs that I thought I had forgotten-- some Boyz2Men etc. Oh GOOD TIMES!
This was a magnificent two and half weeks. Thank you to everyone who has followed this little blog. I hope it was interesting and a bit fun!
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Week
Where to begin? It's really hard for me to believe that this week is almost over already and we're going to the beach. Final evaluations of my students are done. We had the despedida last night and said goodbye to our coworkers at our sites. Estoy triste (I'm sad).
There is so much emotion. It was wonderful to participate in the ICC clinic again and talk with all the promatoras that Kristin and I worked with last time we were here; we even got to see some of the same kids. Molly- if you're reading this we missed you! We promised Carmen that we would say hello to you from her. So, "HOLA!"
I thought I had more time but need to go. Love you all!
There is so much emotion. It was wonderful to participate in the ICC clinic again and talk with all the promatoras that Kristin and I worked with last time we were here; we even got to see some of the same kids. Molly- if you're reading this we missed you! We promised Carmen that we would say hello to you from her. So, "HOLA!"
I thought I had more time but need to go. Love you all!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Mas photos
First picture is at the market on Sunday and the second is another pic of the restaurant we had dinner at on Friday night.
Sunday
We just got back from Santa Domingo and it turns out that there is a beautiful wedding being held at the campus-talk about picturesque; what a beautiful location for a wedding. The first picture is the view from our balcony of Santa Domingo and the next is our side of the table at dinner Friday night. From the top Left clockwise: Kristin, Me, Maggie, Shawn, Carrie.
Santa Domingo itself was fabulous as well. I feel like this country is giving me so much more than I to it; it's refreshing my soul. The weekend was just fun. Friday night CU took us out for an appreciation dinner and que wow; the food, the atmosphere was just phenomenal. I'll have to upload a pic. The internet is a bit spotty here so the photo uploading isn't the easiest. After dinner we all went out dancing till the wee hours of the morning. Myself and some of the other CIs came home much later 3:30am ish to find that our hotel door was locked. So we spent a half hour making all sorts of noise to get the guards attention to no avail. Ultimately we walked back to the hostel where all the students were staying and woke up the owner who after two phone calls to the guard walked down to our hotel and with a quiet knock to a door to the left of ours got the attention of the guard so easily that we were are stunned-mouths on the ground. So 4:30am we got back into our little rooms at the hotel and slept for a few hours before waking up and going to the beach.
For only 4 or so hours of sleep I apparently had way to much energy and while the other 7 CIs lounged on our chairs on the beach I floated in the salt water and soaked up some sun that way. One of the others did make it into the water for a little bit but I think I'm the only one who took full advantage of such quiet comfortable water. Some pina coladas later and we all got a little toasty in the areas where sunscreen was not applied as judiciously as earlier in the day. During this time our students took a tour of the city and did some of their shopping.
A nap and another splendid dinner followed by another night of dancing...this time we left a bit earlier :-) 2:30am instead of 3:30am. I guess there is a bit of a pattern occurring on these days where we don't work. Sunday was a day for a little shopping at the mercado. I bargained some bowls for Kristin and had a marvelous time and got her an excellent deal in the process. After that I felt like I was really awake.
Sometimes here I have just felt so quiet and I have actually felt challenged to talk to some of the other members of our group rather than just walk and enjoy the atmosphere. There is so much to absorb that I feel like I've really been at a loss for some of the standard conversation that fills so much of our days. Even some of the reflections that I mentioned earlier I feel like I am just absorbing so much that internalizing it is taking a bit more time.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
ZUMBA QUE WOW
So tonight did a fantastic work out that just might get me to the gym at home. One of the estudiantes aqui is a certified zumba instructor and she held one of many sessions and this was the first that I could attend. QUE WOW! Talk about a work out tons of endorphins going after that!
Last two days have been really good. My students and I are communicating well and things are going good. I enjoyed reviewing cervical and SI mobs with them today and I think we all benefited* Tomorrow is their charla, or presentation, to the workers at the clinic. I hope they are prepared. Afterwards we get back to ILAC to get on the bus to go to Santa Domingo para the weekend. EXCELLENTE!
So this is just a short post. It's super late here but wanted to say hi to everyone and that I'm thinking of you all. We had a lovely reflection the other night about perspectives and how they can change and really what it is to be human. Maybe get deeper into it later but for now just a minute aspect so I remember I want to write more is sufficient.
Love you all! PS typing on ILAC Spanish keyboard without a shift key and so unable to properly punctuate even if I wanted to. meh it's overrated anyways.
Last two days have been really good. My students and I are communicating well and things are going good. I enjoyed reviewing cervical and SI mobs with them today and I think we all benefited* Tomorrow is their charla, or presentation, to the workers at the clinic. I hope they are prepared. Afterwards we get back to ILAC to get on the bus to go to Santa Domingo para the weekend. EXCELLENTE!
So this is just a short post. It's super late here but wanted to say hi to everyone and that I'm thinking of you all. We had a lovely reflection the other night about perspectives and how they can change and really what it is to be human. Maybe get deeper into it later but for now just a minute aspect so I remember I want to write more is sufficient.
Love you all! PS typing on ILAC Spanish keyboard without a shift key and so unable to properly punctuate even if I wanted to. meh it's overrated anyways.
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